May 11, 2015
Picasso Painting Breaks Art Auction Record at $179M
Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 1 MIN.
A painting by Pablo Picasso has set a world record for art sold at auction.
Picasso's "Women of Algiers (Version O)" sold for $179 million on Monday night at Christie's auction house in New York City. The price includes the buyer's premium.
The vibrant, multi-hued painting features a scantily attired female amid smaller nudes.
Francis Bacon's "Three Studies of Lucian Freud" previously held the record when it sold for $142.4 million in 2013.
The Picasso painting was among two dozen masterpieces from the 20th century Christie's offered in a curated sale titled "Looking Forward to the Past."
A work by Alberto Giacometti could fetch $130 million. That could earn it the title of most expensive sculpture at auction.
Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.
